BACKGROUND
During the late 1950's and the early 1960's the Colonial
Powers started a massive decolonialization of Africa. Under pressure from leftist
arm-chair critics, not wanting to fight communist- and socialist-inspired so-called
independence movements, Britain, France, Belgium and Italy suddenly abrogated their
responsibilities towards the developing people of Africa and left Africa almost overnight.
"Uhuru!" ("freedom" in Swahili) was the short-lived chant on African
lips. Everyone and everything was and is blamed for the new black leaders' rampant
corruption, brutality, incompetence and greed thereafter. Eurocentrists blame the
Africans, Afrocentrists blame the Europeans. Whatever the truth, African leaders
were suddenly free from the "colonial yoke", ... and also from any restraints.
Aid, in the form of money to fill their private coffers, military hardware to kill off
their opponents, and advisers to tell them how to impress the outside world, was in short
supply. In many African states, the gap left by the colonial powers was filled by
the Communist Block. It suited Red China and the Soviet Union down to the last AK 47.
They grabbed the opportunity with both hands and a wave of Communism and quasi-Communism
swept over much of Africa from north to south. The atrocities of the Congo recall vivid
images of barbarism and communism brewed up to a primitive, but deadly concoction.
Non-communist countries came under threat and started to barricade their borders. Around
1964 this communist wave came to an abrupt halt at the Zambezi. Rhodesia, Portugal
and South Africa were not going to give in to the communist invasion. The first 'border
war' had started. From the tropical forests of Angola and Mocambique to the steaming
Zambezi valley, the Portuguese Soldado, the Rhodesian Troopie and the South African Boer
stood shoulder to shoulder, determined to defend civilization against barbarism.
And they succeeded. To such a degree, that the communist strategists decided to first take
over the Portuguese motherland. With Salazar dead, his heir Caetano proved no match for
the machinations of the communist underground. The general-turned-politician Spinola
turned out to be the perfect useful idiot, leading the flower revolution of Lisbon, and
presiding over the dismantling of Greater Portugal. Her overseas provinces were, without
exception, thrown to the wolves in 1974, - the wolves being communist-socialist terrorist
movements, literally pulled out from the bush to lord it over a moderately well-off and
relatively developed Angola and Mocambique.
And still our comrades-in-arms fought on. Doggedly, virtually surrounded by enemies, on
Rhodesia's borders. Until in 1980 there, too, a developed country with a sound economy was
handed over to a communist-socialist terrorist organisation by the treacherous British
Foreign Office, - aided and abetted by a naive South African government.
The South African 'Boys on the Border', meanwhile, were holding the fort in northern South
West Africa and Southern Angola, blissfully unaware of the rot setting in amongst their
own hierarchy behind their backs. Until 1989 they not only pushed the Cuban-backed
Swapo terrorists back, but also stabilized the country and put it firmly on a path
which was leading to peaceful, non-communist developement and eventual independence. Then
the final betrayal : The implementation of UN Resolution 435, a humiliating disbandment of
the indigenous SWA Territiorial Forces, unpunished armed intimidation by the terrorists, a
fraudulent election and the shameful acquiescence to another communist-socialist regime in
Windhoek.
This column is dedicated to those brave men and women, who fought and also died to defend
the honour of their God, countries and people. The tragic history of post-colonial Africa,
its lack of human rights, its economic decline, its physical decay, its wilful destruction
and the utter dispair of its abused people has proved, beyond any doubt, that these brave
comrades-in-arms were fighting the good fight, that they were right all along.
The nations of South Africa seem to have forgotten the history of Africa. How else is it
possible, that the so-called "democracy" of the New South Africa (Azania) is not
universally seen for what it really is : A forced-unitary state born of the same twin
scourge of Black Africa which has terrorized, and is still terrorizing, all good black and
white people of Africa : Barbarism and Communism-Socialism. If we do not want to admit
this, for fear of the blood-stained members of the ANC/Communist Regime, let us at least
honour those, who sweated and bled to try and save us.
Click on thumbnails for larger version
[pic of wall of remembrance]
A Boer and Farmer doing his stint at the
border.The typical 'camper', faithfully serving his time, and more, during his regular
stints up at the border. Their role was more important than they themselves may have
realized.
Young Portuguese servicemen riding
convoy through the bush. Lest we forget our friends and allies, who held the fort for so
long, giving us so many good years in peace and prosperity.
A Rhodesian soldier setting out on
patrol. Many Rhodesians, wherever they are (remember, 'Rhodesians never
die'?), will recognize themselves in this picture.
A soldier relaxes after a day's
convoy driving. The drivers were in a class of their own. Slogging away hour after hour on
some of the worst roads in Africa, even bundu-bashing through virgin bush, these drivers
literally kept the wheels of the army running. Fortunately, their fellow-soldiers and many
commanders acknowledged this and the mutual respect served to make life easier for all
concerned.
The air force's luxuries... Wherever
the air force went, a certain amount of 'civilization' soon followed. The boys in blue
knew how to turn a primitive base into something more appropiate for officers and
gentlemen, - and the 'brown jobs' rarely begrudged them their legendary lifestyle, for two
reasons : Firstly, they knew very well that it was the Alo gunship and the Puma troop
carrier, who got you out when you were screaming and begging for help somewhere in the
middle of Angola. Secondly, it was the air force, who flew in the goodies from 'Ondang's',
and if you stayed on their right side they could bring something in for you, too.
Soldiers of 32 Battalion. This famous unit consisted of black
Angolan 'Portuguese', who originally followed the founder of the unit, Colonel Jan
Breytenbach, out of Angola to the old South West Africa, and white SA officers and NCO's.
From the Western Caprivi, where they settled down with their families in a beautiful base
called Buffalo on the banks of the Kavango, they sallied forth to do battle against their
old enemies, the Mpla of Angola and Swapo of Namibia, - side by side with the South
African and South West African soldiers. 32 Bn gained its reputation through old-fashioned
discipline, toughness, successes on the battlefield, sheer hard graft, spending week
after week, month after month in the bush, and the fact that it was 32 Bn's men, black and
white, more than any other unit, who grace the roll of honour on our monuments. The
black soldiers followed their white officers and NCO's because they might not have been
the most exemplary text-book soldiers, but they knew how to die for their country and
their unit's honour.
[More to follow soon]
